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Gauhati High Court Gives Assam CM and State Four Weeks to Reply in Hate Speech PILs

The case now hinges on affidavits from both offices.

Overview

  • The Gauhati High Court, which on Tuesday granted four weeks for replies from the state and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, listed the next hearing for May 28.
  • Judges declined petitioners’ request for interim directions to restrain the chief minister’s public remarks at this stage.
  • Petitioners said Sarma kept making provocative comments in March and April that target Bengali-origin Muslims, citing use of the slur “Miya.”
  • The Assam government told the court it would file its response by the next hearing and share copies with petitioners’ counsel in advance.
  • The PILs seek an SIT probe led by a retired high court judge and were filed by CPI, CPI(M) and prominent citizens, after the Supreme Court in February asked them to move the Gauhati High Court.